Newly acquired RF Shawn Green will make his Mets debut Thursday night, and he’s already saying all the right things. You know, making excuses for his plummeting production. From the New York Times’ Ben Shipgel.

Green said that all of the rumors surrounding his fate had weighed on him. He attributed his struggles in August ” .208 average and five runs batted in ” to that uncertainty. The Diamondbacks counted on Green to be one of their top run producers, and he should be more comfortable as a complementary piece with the Mets. Leave the slugging to the Carloses and let Green, who will probably bat sixth between David Wright and José Valentín, get on base and hit to the opposite field.

œIt™s not like I™m going to come there and be the answer, Green said. œThey obviously have a great mix. I™m just going to go there to be a piece of the puzzle and help out when I can in September and October.

Green, who won a Gold Glove in 1999, has decent range and a respectable throwing arm. Manager Willie Randolph reiterated yesterday that Green would start most games in right field, cutting into Lastings Milledge™s playing time.

Considering how much the Mets owe him next season, Green figures to begin next season as the starting right fielder, too, meaning that Milledge would be shifted to left field to replace Floyd. Floyd is finishing his four-year deal, and the Mets would prefer letting Milledge develop and share time with Endy Chávez.

œI don™t find anything negative about this for me, Milledge said. œWe™re just trying to win. He™s a great addition ” I mean, he™s Shawn Green ” and I™m looking forward to picking his brain.

As baseball™s most prominent Jewish player, Green said the opportunity to continue his career in New York was another factor that persuaded him to agree to the trade.

œIt™s something that™s always intrigued me, Green said. œNew York is head and shoulders the largest Jewish population in the country, if not the world, and it will be an interesting and fun experience for me. I™m looking forward to being part of the Jewish community there.

Amongst those bullish on the Green deal is The Eddie Kranepool Society’s Steve Keane, who has a bone to pick with the Hardball Times’ Bryan Tao.

What we are looking at is October baseball and so is Omar. In fact with this move and the rumblings of Minaya trying to get Moises Alou, it seems to me Minaya is looking at the World Series and the 4 games in the AL park with the DH. If Minaya lands Alou you would have a choice of playing either Alou, Floyd or Green at DH with the other two in the outfield with Carlos Beltran. So you need a defensive replacement late in the game, then you insert Endy Chavez. What™s wrong with that? Oh I know these players don™t have high OPS™ or their EQA is low and of course they have negative VORP and please don™t even mention the Range Factor of their defense! Let™s not take into account that they are solid veteran major league players who when the game is on the line will have balls of steel from playing in pressure situations their whole adult lives. See you can™t find a pair of balls in a computer.

Many adults with interesting browser histories would beg to differ, Steve.